A Fine Line
by InsanityisReality
Summary: It was to be the 'future space ranger'- an unstoppable machine. But the more he looked, the more he noticed the feminine curves, the dainty hands, and the way that sleek body moved. But as quickly as she barged into his life, she disappeared without a trace. He thought her gone forever... little did he know. Rating will change later on
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Memories of Nobody

Warnings: This story contains sexual content, drug use, and language. If this offends you then for goodness sake DON'T read it. You have been warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command, or any of its characters, and I make no money from this fanfic.

….

When he was younger, Buzz Lightyear believed love was represented only in glancing kisses. He would observe it when a man leaned down to his wife and pecked her cheek, or when a mother would wrap her arms around her daughter and affectionately stroke her back. Young eyes interpret this kind of love with a pure heart that doesn't understand the complexities or mechanics. He often would wonder about it, back then it all was the same to him- love was single and simple- but he couldn't help but wonder.

It wasn't until he grew older that love began to take on many forms- there was the innocent love between parent and child, the two-faced passion of husband and wife, and the three hour bliss of a one-night stand. Love was not restrained by rules or regulations of how or when it could appear, in fact, love began to grow many faces- not all of them pure- and grew into an image of different flavors of ice cream that one could pick and choose how it was served.

During his academy days, he discovered the wonders of the opposite sex. Women with their curves and soft skin, dainty things with charming smiles. He was enamored. Love, not with a single person but with many. He enjoyed the hot nights with the young, inexperienced rookies that taunted a vibrant sexuality and batted thick lashes on full cheeks. Lips with feminine glamour and red tint that were fascinating to watch as she talked or sang. Long legs, some thick with corded muscle after hours of training, how they could deliciously wrap around him in a powerful embrace. He indulged. This kind of love was not binding- it was freeing. An hour of making love with one of these developing women was so very satisfying. He preferred this, after years of witnessing men that pecked the aging cheek of their wives, this was much more satisfying.

Women were a mystery to him, and perhaps this is what drove him to the bedroom. It was a matter of uncovering the mystery that hid beneath the bothersome uniforms that sought to hide the milky skin and voluptuous beauty. What made her a female? Why was she so appealing? Maybe it was the way she mewed when his lips brushed her inner thighs, or the way her breasts felt heavy and yearning in his hands. For whatever the reason, he was never bored. Each one was new, each one a different experience for him to uncover.

Despite his Casanova type reputation, however, he never treated them with lack of respect. Women were precious, even fragile, and he always held each in his embrace like a present on Christmas. He was a notorious gentle lover, and women flocked to him with the intention of being brought to his bed for a night, and this was more than okay with him. The ladies enjoyed the innocence that he brought to lovemaking, and admired the softness that came from the boy he still was.

It wasn't until academy was over and he became a space ranger that something changed.

Warp Darkmatter was a man young Lightyear admired. He was "cool", the jock that so many strived to become. He was handsome, skilled, and carried a darker atmosphere that screamed a dangerous ferociousness that was only found in animals. He was wild, he was strong, and therefore- a male embodiment of perfection. Imagine Buzz's delight at hearing he would be paired with such an acceptable ranger. They became fast friends, and were even greater teammates that rose ranks faster than their senior officers could blink.

However, along with Warp came a most life-changing thing for Buzz- raw sexuality. To Warp, females only had one purpose, sex. Love was not involved whenever Warp bedded a woman, it was just fiery pleasure in the simplest degree. Warp took on woman like he did everything else, and that was instinctual, animalistic delight. Buzz remembered their first mission to Trade World, it was an undercover assignment where they both posed as drug dealers to catch a man that went by the allies "War Fusion". He was a seller of a drug- spacedust- that gave its victims superhuman strength before melting their insides. Their intel informed them he was last seen on Trade World, and Nebula sent them in hopes of taking him in alive. Warp suggested a place called Pleasure Palace to dig up information, and at the time, Buzz was so caught up within the mission he blindly agreed, much to his partner's delight.

At first glance the place was gaudy, a big streak of obnoxious pink and indigo that screamed to be noticed among the other neon-decorated buildings. It was a curious thing to him, and when he commented to Warp about it all he received was a sly smile. Surly a criminal couldn't be found in such a loud, obvious place?

It wasn't until they entered that he understood.

Bright, flashing lights of color within utter blackness. Movement that bordered on pornographic was caught in brief glimpses, dancing to the bass of hypnotic rhythm. Boom, boom, boom. The music was all he heard, though the image brought with it the imaginary sounds of grinding and moaning. Everything had so much color and life. Men were scattered about- the most prominent- and held out wads of thick cash that was passed out like free candy. Some had halos of smoke floating from their mouths from who the hell knew what kinds of drugs. It permeated the air like perfume and enticed his virgin senses to other worldly pleasures that all his training in the academy couldn't possibly have prepared him for. And then there were the women…

The women.

Gone were the shy glances and tender looks of affection, gone were the hints of curves that the imagination had to fill in. These bodies were purely sinful in the way they weaved and swerved on top of platforms for all to see. Shameless in their exposed bodies as they teased with such raw appeal that he was lost within the siren's lair. He glanced at Warp, who had seated himself at a table in front of a buxom blond that currently had her slender legs wrapped around a metal pole and swung herself around it. Warp looked back at his stunned friend with a monstrous grin and waved him over to the seat beside him.

"So, what do ya think, Lightyear?" He yelled over the music when Buzz sat down.

He didn't answer, his gaze was glued to the pretty, swaying thing on stage. She was all long legs and breasts resting on hourglass, with a full head of blazing yellow hair that bounced along with her curves as she danced. No, dancing was too light of a word, this was sex without a partner. She wore a thong of red and blue that covered little, and a bra to match. It did nothing to hide her gigantic mounds- from either end. He was mesmerized. Then he looked to her face, and nearly gasped at the vixen-ish green eyes that held him prisoner to their beckon. He'd never seen such desire within a woman's gaze, and it floored him that she was so forward and dominant with her presence.

The women at the academy- while brave and fierce- were very submissive and docile when he offered them a drink or a dance. They always did as they were told, and would blush at the heated way men looked upon them during sex. This woman before him now, held none of these qualities that he once thought made up the female population of the universe, she was an enigma that he himself failed to realize even existed.

This experience, along with others opened a new view of women he never thought would cross his mind. It was almost evil the way his brain found thoughts of taking these exotic dancers on the stage to be more about the domination, the pleasure of it. Love was out, this was something entirely different, and a few years of this ruined him. Warp's views that were borderline despicable before began to become his own. When he bedded the rookies and the officers back at Star Command he no longer held gifts, but objects of pleasure that owed him, not the other way around.

It wasn't until Warp's inevitable betrayal that he realized this ruined him- No… he realized it before that. It was when he met her, that the realization came, or perhaps just the epiphany that women were just as deserving of respect as their male counterpart. She was his rod of correction, whether he wanted it or not. And he was sure Warp could agree that she was the best thing that could have happened to either of them.

The women they fell in love with.

And the woman they hated more than anything.

…

Author's Note: So I suddenly had a craving- and this was the result. This is my first BLOSC fanfiction, and I'm excited to say the least. Please tell me what you think, and maybe I'll get my butt in gear and post another chapter by the end of the week.

IiR


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Fool Me Once

Disclaimer: I don't own BLOSC or any of the characters except my OC Nora.

"**Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides." - Andre Malraux**

…..

"_Lightyear, Darkmatter, I got a new assignment for ya." _

"_What's that, sir?"_

"_Think of it as a test run on the LGM's latest invention."_

"_Sir?"_

"_Her name is Nora-785"_

…

**Duty**... may have been too large a word for a young boy with the dream of joining the Space Rangers who gallantly kept the galaxy from evil. He remembered the tiny thrill that settled in his stomach at the thought of joining that battle between the right and the wrong. Perhaps he was just naive, or maybe blind to the bigger picture. It wasn't as glorious as he imagined- too much loss drowning within a pool of blood that was never entirely his, and all for a forgotten form of chivalry.

The academy taught you the moves, the strategies, but it never prepared him for the misplaced sense of responsibility and the feel of loss. Space rangers were thought of to be the heroes but instead they were the side that simply won. Nothing else. They were the ones left standing, and if that was because they, for a few moments, blurred the line between fighting for or against then so be it.

Buzz preferred to think he had the best rookies out there. Not because of their skill or cunning, but because they were honest, cooperative, steady rangers that held the innocence he once did, and he loved them for it. The constant grey area was eliminated, and all of a sudden the little boy who once admired the extreme between black and white was back, gazing in prideful joy at the three rangers who walked beside him.

He was too old, and far too experienced to look at the world as they did, though it wasn't for lack of trying. It was amazing really how much he'd changed since Warp left. Even if his eyes were tainted, his team brought with them a new window. They saw the world as something to conquer, something wonderful and beautiful with exciting twists and turns that made their eyes fall just a bit wider in astonishment.

"Looks like another fine day to stop galactic evil." Buzz announced to his crew as they entered the loading deck.

He recalled, not too long ago, how the thought of working with anyone disgusted him. Warp was not replaceable in his mind (_and neither was she_), and it was almost funny how quickly Nebula insisted he move on. At first he was angry, then withdrawn, and this grew into a deep chasm of despair that any man who considered himself a space ranger should never let show. But all the same it weighed more than a thousand worlds.

It was only after they showed up in his life and refused to let go, that childish stubbornness they all owned in some degree, (though he thinks the princess only did it out of spite) that he realized it was exactly what he needed. It was their smiles, and their never-ending excitement that opened his heart again and allowed a healing wave to enter it. With Warp it was the thrill and danger that helped to ignore the pain, and when he left there was no wall there to keep his emotions from nearly destroying him. With his rookies, however, it was the first time in a long time he had a chance to actually face his scars and lick the wounds.

His thoughts halted with the smack of metal to metal.

"There's been a change of plans, Lightyear."

Buzz stopped at the sight of Commander Nebula standing between him and 42. The look on the old man's face was grim with uninviting news.

"So… we're not stopping galactic evil?" He asked, puzzled.

"No, no, we just got word that-"

Without warning a flash of white rammed into Nebula with astounding force and threw him forward. The older man whipped around to glare at his persistent shadow.

"Can't you see I'm trying to get some real work done here!" The Commander yelled over the drilling noise of a ringing phone.

The Commander's desk hovered over the ground with a buzzing irritation at being ignored for a good part of the day. Why did he have to be stuck with the most stubborn man in the better part of the universe to fill out paperwork? Hunting the man down like a dog on a daily bases was beginning to wear down his motherboard. With a swiftness, an arm extended from a hidden compartment to present a document thick as any novel with a thin line marked at the beginning with an x.

Nebula growled. "Alright, alright! Infernal machine." His hand snatched a pen from the desk and scribbled his signature. "Now beat it!" And with that the desk retreated back in the direction of his office.

"Anyway," Nebula continued, "Zurg has himself a little problem… and he's called on _Shiv Katall_."

Buzz's expression went wide. "Shiv Katall? Then there's no time to lose."

From behind the two Booster's voice broke into the conversation. "Right behind ya Buzz!"

"I don't know who this Shiv guy is, but he's in for a patented, XR touchie kickin'." The little robot exclaimed beside Booster, swinging his thick, metal foot around for emphasis. "That's right! I said touchie!"

Buzz turned to his team with a stern gaze "Sorry rangers, but you won't be needed for this mission."

He watched as their expressions dropped. Never before had he told them no, and Buzz realized this was the first time in what seemed like forever that his team would not be with him.

But he had no choice- whenever Katall was called upon there was no room for errors, and his team often made them. Teammates or no, they were still inexperienced rookies with no knowledge of... It was too much of a risk.

"What?!" Mira exclaimed. "'Why not?"

"That's classified, ranger." Nebula replied with a firm glare aimed at the outspoken rookie. "But, I am offering furloughs for the three of you." He added as he and Lightyear turned to exit the loading bay.

"Furloughs?" Dread was holding up Booster's voice as his body caved in slightly.

"A vaaa-cation!" XR sang, yanking a pair of sunglasses from his inner compartment.

"With all due respect, sir, If Buzz has to go on a dangerous mission we should go with him… right Buzz?" Mira glanced over to her captain with a pleading stare.

Buzz remained firm. "Sorry rangers, but when Shiv's involved it's best I work alone." And with that he turned his back on the team and left.

…..

_Nora-785 was stunning to behold. _

_A machine made of a mixture of both trillium and platinum that made for a battle-ready form, and what a form it was. All curves that flowed to give the illusion of a young woman that stood a good foot lower than both Lightyear and Darkmatter. The LGM's called her the future space ranger. She was made to find and eliminate, an assassin that was nearly indestructible. They said she had everything- super strength, speed, and learning capacity. She was to be their partner, she was to observe and learn from the two best rangers Star Command had to offer. _

"_Nora is to accompany you boys on assignments. You will show her the skills, and observe her out in the field." Nebula said as they all watched with intense curiosity as the LGM's worked with frightening speed. "I want a report, and your opinions on if this program will get anywhere. The LGMs think it'll be a huge success, but you know how I feel about machines." _

"_When do we take her out for a test run?" Warp asked._

"_Now hold up, she's not done yet, boys." The Commander's eyes locked onto the perfect metallic face. "She's nowhere near done."_

…

"What's the assignment, sir?"

Buzz and Nebula entered his office where the Commander's desk was already printing out the paperwork for the mission.

"Zurg has another escapee, brain pod 13." At this, Nebula gave the paper to Buzz. The picture was of the pod, who to Buzz, all looked the exact same. If it weren't for the defining numbers painted onto them he'd never be able to tell them apart.

"He's in the usual location, and has enough supplies to last him for two weeks at the most."

"It won't take that long, sir." Buzz replied.

"Better not, Lightyear."

….

_Operation Shiv Katall was Buzz's first mission without Warp by his side. It was a necessity really, after all the Commander went through for it to remain a secret. It was a dangerous assignment to be sure, and Buzz was at first skeptical of its success._

_Infiltrating enemy lines without backup, if something were to go wrong you were alone, and not even Star Command could save him if things went awry. This was his most dangerous assignment to date- and he knew he wasn't ready for it. _

"_Not to worry, Buzz. I've got just the thing for you." _

_Buzz and Nebula had just gone over the infiltration plans. It seemed simple enough: get in, get the grub, get out, and then send the news to the evil emperor that his deserting servant was exterminated. "Shiv's" profile had been made to make it seem as if he was an assassin for hire, and that he was a damn good one too. They made his kill list a mile long, with fake references from anonymous clientele from all over the galaxy. His success rate was 100%, and he never left a trace to be found. What Zurg didn't realize was that the deserter was rescued and placed into a relocation program where they were taught and hired by Star Command to be placed in with the LGMs. _

_What seemed like a simple plan was going to be the hardest one to do, and Buzz knew that all too well. "What do you have for me, Sir?"_

_Nebula's grin was wide as he slapped a rough hand onto Buzz's shoulder and led him down the hallway. "Ya remember the robot I showed you and Warp a while back?"_

_Yes, he remembered. _

"_What about it, sir?"_

_They made it into the LGM's lab, where the little guys were huddled around a table in the center of the room. Whispers were exchanged as all their eyes were transfixed on whatever was laid out before them. _

"_She's ready Lightyear, care to try her out?"_

_He wandered closer to the table, towering over the green men as he too looked upon the covered thing upon the examination table. The silhouette was slim, and dainty as the sheet fell over the body of what he knew to be the machine he witnessed a few months ago. So, it was done. Done and ready to be taught how to be a proper space ranger._

"_All right boys," echoed his commander's voice from behind him. "Show him."_

_The LGMs stepped down from there platforms that let them be at proper height with the table, and watched his reaction as they pulled back the sheet…_

…

The uniform issued by Star Command was heavy, yet the years of training and having its weight set upon his shoulders became a norm that he simply worked around. With the exception of Commander Nebula, he was the only human being on all of Star Command. He wasn't like Booster, who had the ridiculous strength that someone like himself could only dream of possessing, he was strapped down with limitations. It wasn't that big of a problem now, but back when he was in the ranger scouts it was different. He was always on the small side as a boy.

Shiv's uniform however, was something he had to specially train into. It was an armor fit to deflect, and must have weighed a hundred pounds more than his regular uniform. It was at first, too heavy, and he had to spend hours relearning how to _walk_ correctly, let alone _fight_ with its restraining mass.

Besides that downfall though, it did have many perks that the LGMs spared no expense with- built-in ray guns, acid blasters, and even plasma cannons. It was an ideal weapon that he had on him at all times during the mission. And for a finishing touch, a helmet and mask that concealed his identity along with a voice scrambler that changed his tone to something more robotic and dark. With the small red beams for eyes- he truly looked like the demon Star Command made him out to be. This way, he didn't have to worry about being recognized.

As he stripped his uniform, his chest tightened with the familiar weight of dread, it was the feeling that always accompanied the identity of something that was so feared, and something so… wrong.

He was the only one who knew- what he had to do when he donned this mask.

Besides the rescue missions for Zurg's runaway minions, Shiv Katall was called upon for all sorts of assignments that Nebula saw fit to carry out. Sometimes this meant bringing in criminals for torture, other times it required a spy, and sometimes…. it called for execution.

Looking back, if he were honest with himself, Shiv Katall was better off dead to the universe. He never would have taken the job if he saw into the future at what his hands would do. Warp would have been better suited for the assignment (may have even enjoyed it), hell, anyone would have been better than him. He still saw every face, knew the rainbow of colors of blood that stained his dark suit, the cries, the pleads for mercy when he couldn't afford to give it- all in his memories where they could never be wiped clean.

That's why when he gazed into the eyes of his young rookies, he knew, that they could never find out. He couldn't do that to them, Booster especially, the only one on his team that idolized a monster and didn't even know it.

No, they would never find out.

He would make sure of it.

…..

Author's note: Hellooooo! How are we all doing? It's all snowy and gross where I live, but I suppose that's better than overwhelming heat. So, what do ya'll think so far? How am I doing with the characters? Let me know what you think in your reviews!

Thanks for reading,

IiR


End file.
